Heroes Come In All Forms
by MissHyen
Summary: When Superman/ Clark rescues a young woman from a fire, he checks on her and finds out shocking surprise.


When Maria raced into the burning house and up the stairs she heard shouts of warnings following her. Ignoring them, she gripped the staircase and shouted in pain as the heat stung her palm. The smoke was burning her nose and she could barely see in front of her as she raced toward the small voice crying for help.

"Mommy! I want Mommy!" The child cried out between gasps and wretches. The fire was closing in on the small house, Maria could hear the screams and commotion outside as she struggled to run up the hallway, dodging flames and holding her arm over her face to avoid inhaling any more of the thick black smoke than she already had. She felt dizzy and her eyes burned. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, but the sound of the child screaming from the back room gave her strength to continue on.

"Help! Mommy!" The child screamed, a sudden scream of pain joining her already terrified shouts.

"Hold on, honey, I'm coming!"

Maria didn't know this family. She had been visiting a friend and the next thing she knew someone was shouting something about a fire across the street. The house was engulfed in flames within minutes, the small family standing outside horrified as screams of a young child echoed from a window. She didn't think, she just ran to action ignoring the shouts of warnings.

She made it upstairs to the young girl's room, holding on to the doorway as she looked around frantically. A small figure was huddled on the bed against the corner of the wall, like a frightened animal. She held a stuffed animal of some form but Maria couldn't make it out as she ran over.

"You're gonna be okay. Your mommy is outside waiting for you." She soothed as she kneeled in front of her, looking around for another exit. The flames were coming up the hallway already licking at the doorway.

The little girl sniffled and coughed, "I want my mommy!" She began to cry again, looking nervously up at Maria.

"I know you do, and we're gonna get out of here and go see her."

"I'm not allowed to go with strangers!" The girl argued between sobs.

"And that's a good rule, but right now your mommy wants to see you so we have to get you out of the fire." Maria stood and looked over at the window. She glanced back at the doorway and felt the heat rising in the room as the flames began to enter. The window would be the best bet for an escape. Being on the second floor, Maria hoped someone would be able to catch the child. They heard a loud crash from another room and they both jumped in fear.

"Ok honey, we have to go out the window. Can you do that for me?

"No! I want my mommy!" The girl sobbed, clutching her stuffed animal tighter, shaking in fear.

Maria headed over to the window and raised it, shoving the screen out as heard screams from the ground below. She leaned out gasping for air and shouted for help, she was partially blinded from the smoke burning her eyes and couldn't see if anyone was under the window to hear her.

"I'm tossing her down! Someone catch her!" To her relief, she heard shouts below as she turned to look for the girl.

"Goddammit I can't see!" She shouted, rubbing at her eyes. "Come on honey, we're getting you out, we have to go!"

The girl didn't answer and Maria moved back to the bed. She felt around and the girl was gone.

"Ah shit, where did you go?" She felt around the bed frantically, letting out a curse. She turned, facing various directions to listen for the girl, but no sounds came.

"Come on kiddo, we need to go, it's getting too hot in here!" She choked out as she whipped around hearing cracks and pops of the fire.

There was a light tap on her foot and without thinking, Maria dropped to the floor and reached under the bed feeling around for the child. She felt slim arms and gripped on, giving a pull. She tucked the girl under her arm and stood fast, hurrying to the window.

"Mommy!" The girl shrieked as Maria eased her quickly out the window.

Screams erupted from the ground floor and someone shouted up to her. She couldn't make out the words.

"You need to catch her! We're trapped!" She held the wriggling girl tight in her arms as she leaned farther out the window.

"My baby!" A woman screamed, "Don't drop her! Please!"

"You need to catch her! Someone grab her!" Maria shouted down in warning. She swore she saw a blue and red flash as she blinked her eyes hard to try to ease the acrid burning in her eyes and she heard sudden cheers then the next thing Maria knew, a calm steady male voice was speaking in front of her. "It's okay, I have her, you can let go."

"You have her?" Maria shouted through the sound of the flames as she felt gentle tugging on her girl, who was gasping for air and sobbing.

"I have her, let her go. I'll be back for you."

Maria relaxed her grip on the girl and let the man take her. A searing pain caused her to scream and fall to the floor as a burning shelf fell on her shoulder.

She gasped for air, the burning in her lungs was becoming more intense with every breath. She was light headed from barely getting oxygen but she heard clapping and cheers on the ground floor and smiled slightly. She wasn't sorry for a second on her choice to run into the building to help the family. She laid still, the pain in her shoulder incapacitating her and she resigned to her fate. The cheering outside grew muffled as she began to lose consciousness.

Just as she closed her eyes, she felt strong yet gentle hands on her shoulders, turning her. A large body covered her just as a bookshelf fell over on top of them and a moment later she felt herself being lifted into arms and carried away.

"Let's get you out of here now." The voice, calm and soothing, was back as promised. She opened her stinging eyes and fought through the pain to try to get a better look at her rescuer. She was met with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen looking down at her with concern.

Maria couldn't speak but she nodded ever so slightly and then she blacked out.

* * *

"Maria? You have a visitor if you're up for it." A floor nurse's' friendly smile appeared in the doorway, interrupting Maria from a sitcom she was attempting to watch to keep her mind off of the soreness she was still experiencing from the fire. She'd been in the hospital for a few days now, her burns and broken rib healing slowly, the smoke inhalation clearing up and her eyes were still sore but healing quickly.

"Another reporter?" She asked as the nurse walked over to her with a small tray. She set it down and began to check her IV, looking down at her with a smile.

"Well you're quite the hero. The family of the little girl you saved have been asking about you, they sent you more flowers this morning." She pointed to the window where another bouquet of spring flowers had joined the others.

Maria tried to sit up and struggled for a moment, wincing at the pain of her arm. The nurse assisted her and propped her up with a pillow.

"I didn't do anything that someone else wouldn't have. She needed help and I ran in." She shrugged, not wanting to get excessive attention for doing what was right.

"You'd be surprised." the nurse said softly. "They owe you for saving that little girl's life."

Maria smiled, "They don't owe me anything though. I'd hope someone would do the same for me if I was in trouble."

The nurses nodded and gestured toward the door. "Well, there's a reporter from the Daily Planet here to interview you. If you want me to send him away, I will."

"The Daily Planet? Why? That's a big time newspaper!" She tried to sit up straighter in surprise and gasped at the pain running from her hand, up her arm and to her ribs. "Oh God that hurts."

"You're due for more painkillers." She walked to the counter and brought a small cup of water along with a tiny dixie cup of two white pills over to Maria. "Remember they knock you out so if you do talk to him, I suggest it be quick."

Maria nodded, taking the pills and drinking the water. She motioned to the door with her good arm as the nurse took the cups away. "Okay, he can come in, I'll make it quick."

The nurse walked swiftly to the doorway as Maria tried her best to smooth her hair, ignoring the pain in her ribcage when the nurse turned to her again.

"Word is Superman saved you. He helped you get the little girl out and then came back for you."

Maria's eyes widened and she just stared at the woman in disbelief. She had heard a few times that Superman had saved her but she didn't think the news had travelled that quickly. "No, a fireman grabbed me. I blacked out as he carried me out."

"No, I'm pretty sure the family said that Superman helped you both get out of the house. Maybe the reporter is here for that."

"But I don't really remember much." Maria argued gently as the nurse called to someone outside the door. She heard her giving the man stern warnings on letting her rest before he entered the room.

"Ms. Larson?" The man towered in the doorway, his hair was dark brown and wavy, he had a small messenger bag over his shoulder and wore a dark plaid button down shirt with a dark square tie. He had a small almost timid smile as he addressed her, but what really caught Maria's attention were his bright blue eyes behind his thick black rimmed glasses.

"Yes, come on in." She gave him a tired smile and waved him in the room.

He looked around and chuckled at the flowers and gifts taking up space around the area. "You're quite the hero I hear." He motioned to an empty chair by the window. "May I sit down?" He smiled sheepishly and held out his hand to shake. "Oh I'm sorry, my name is Clark Kent, I'm with the Daily Planet."

"Please, sit down.." She nodded as she shook his hand, "nice to meet you." He pulled the chair over sitting down gingerly near her bedside.

"I won't keep you but I just had a few questions for my piece on Superman." He placed his bag on the table and took out a pencil and notepad. Opening the notepad he sat back and looked over at her, preparing to write.

"So this isn't about me?" Her breath of relief caused Clark's eyes to look over at her curiously. "Thank God, because if one more person calls me a hero, I don't know what I'll do."

"Well word is you are a hero. You ran into a burning home to save a little girl. That's kind of heroic in my opinion."

"I guess so, but I don't feel like one. I just wanted to help."

Clark nodded, taking notes as he spoke, "What do you remember about saving the little girl."

"I can't tell you much. There was so much smoke it was disorienting. I just remember running in without thinking about it and then I couldn't see or breathe very well. I found her in her room scared and crying. Then I saw the window and the only place we had to get out was two stories up. We were both scared of jumping." She stopped suddenly, coughing. Her lungs were still healing and she took a few breaths to relax, holding her ribcage.

Clark leaned toward her with concern. "Do you need the nurse?" His hands gripped the arms of the chair, as he half stood to go get help.

Maria relaxed and took a breath, "No, I'm okay. She just gave me my painkillers, they'll kick in soon. Talking too much hurts my lungs a little. I inhaled a lot of smoke they said."

Clark bit his lips together thoughtfully, his eyebrows forming a worried frown. "We can do this later if you'd like." He offered, looking up at a wall clock.

"No no, I'll be fine." She forced a smile toward him and he sat back down.

"Okay. So you were saying…"

"Well I thought a fireman had grabbed us as I was about to jump out the window." She stopped to take a breath.

"Take your time, like I said I won't keep you. I just wanted to get a few comments about the fire and Superman coming to help."

"Well I don't remember him being there honestly. I couldn't see or breathe." She swore Clark's eyes turned down in dismay. They were silent for a moment as he finished writing some notes. Her eyes lit up suddenly, "Oh wait, I do remember a man's voice talking to me at the window. I thought it was a fireman."

"Oh?" His face perked up as he jotted more notes in his book.

"Yes, he had a very calm voice, kinda soothing like an angel I guess, given the situation I suppose."

Clark looked up sharply and Maria swore she saw his face reddening slightly. He caught her watching him with a confused expression and cleared his throat, embarrassed.

"Uh… voice like an... angel…" He stammered under his breath as he resumed taking notes, the faintest of smiles formed on his lips.

"Yes, and he must have been floating at the second floor if I heard him right in front of me. That's your real hero. Someone who can fly and has superpowers to save lives. I almost died in there, I'm no hero." She looked down at her burned hand and gave it a dull, flat look with a shrug. "I wish I could have done more. They lost their home." She looked away sadly before, looking back at him.

Clark returned the look, his brows furrowing slightly again, "Well if I can speak freely, I'm sure he'd tell you that heroes come in many forms. It was a brave thing you did to help that family. You saved a life. You're very brave."

"I guess so, I just did what I hoped someone would do for me."

"I understand." He tapped his pencil on the notepad, looking down his list of questions, debating what to ask next.

Maria answered a few more questions and was starting to feel the effect of her painkillers kicking in. Her eyelids were becoming heavy as she fought hard to focus on Clark's questions.

"So if you could say one thing to Superman what would it be?" He looked up hopefully, his blue eyes searching hers for a second before looking away shyly, "I mean about the rescue."

"Um, I would thank him for sure, he saved my life." She opened her mouth and let out a large yawn while covering her mouth. "I'm sorry, the painkillers kick in fast."

"No need to apologize, I'm going to get out of here and let you get some sleep." He smiled as he began to pack his bag. He stood up and slung the bag strap around his neck and over his shoulder.

"Oh wait! I would tell him that he has pretty eyes." She said hurriedly, remembering how they looked at each other in the blaze.

"Pretty eyes?" Clark looked up at her in surprise.

"Yeah, I remember his blue eyes, they were really bright and a pretty blue. Kinda like yours are." She giggled anxiously in embarrassment of her compliment and Clark smiled, his cheeks warming. He could tell she was becoming disoriented from her medication but he grinned, pleased at her remark.

"Well, I'll be sure to add that in too." He chuckled, humoring her.

"Okay. Sorry I'm passing out on you." She yawned again, closing her eyes. "I don't know how much help I was to your article."

"It's fine, Ms. Larson. Get some rest and feel better soon. If I need anything else, I'll call."

He started to walk to the door, as he thought about what Maria said about his voice and eyes, he heard her yawn and despite losing focus she spoke softly yet matter of factly. Clark was halfway to the doorway when Maria's next words caused him to stop short and stand still in shock.

"Nice to meet you, Superman."


End file.
